Vietam, Russia to focus on economic, military technology cooperation

HCM
City (VNA) – Vietnam and Russia will focus on prioritised strategic
projects in two major areas of economy-trade and military science-technology,
stated Alexey Popov, Russian Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City at a press
conference in the city on February 9.

Defining
2017 as an eventful year in boosting the Russia-Vietnam ties, Alexey Popov held
that dialogues between senior leaders of both countries this year within the
framework of international meetings and high-level visits will help promote the
bilateral partnership.

Sectors
and localities of Vietnam and Russia will continue fostering and expanding
cooperation programmes in fuel-energy, culture, tourism, investment and trade,
contributing to reinforcing and developing the relations between the two
countries, he said.

The
diplomat noted that Ho Chi Minh City is the leading locality in Vietnam in setting
up ties with Russian localities, becoming one of the important factors in the
development of the bilateral comprehensive partnership.

However,
he stated that collaboration between Russia and Ho Chi Minh City has yet to match
their potential as well as expectations, suggesting that in the coming time,
the two sides focus on cooperation programmesin areas of their strengths such
as culture- art and education-training.

As part
of activities to implement the cooperation plan between Saint Petersburg and Ho
Chi Minh City for 2016-2018, a delegation from Saint Petersburg will visit Ho
Chi Minh City this year to discuss the organisation of the Russian Culture Day
in the city that aims to strengthen mutual understanding, solidarity and
friendship between the two localities.

According
to the Russian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, despite complicated
global situation, last year, the Vietnam-Russia relations still progressed in
all fields such as politics, economy-trade, military technology, culture and
society.

In the
first 11 months of 2016, two-way trade reached 3.5 billion USD, a rise of 16.4
percent year on year. The two countries are striving to raise the figure to 10
billion USD by 2020.-VNA